There’s no denying that Sony started 2011 incredibly strongly. They’ve had a consistent stream of fantastic first party exclusives since the end of 2010 and they’ve gathered some impressive momentum as we head into the summer season and the big show looms on the horizon. That’s right, E3 is mere months away and with Sony’s end of year looking a little less impressive than the first few months, what might they have in store for the future?
Well, with the exception of the assumed announcement and unveiling of Warhawk 2, there’s not a lot that we know about. We can assume that Uncharted 3 and The Last Guardian will get an airing, probably both playable. Resistance 3 should be there in a big way too. Those are what we know about from Sony for the end of this year but that leaves options for the start of next year a little thin.
It’s also reasonable to assume that we’ll see something of the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD remakes. Which brings us to something which might be a major concern: Will HD remakes take the place of new announcements?
Sure, we all love to see old favourites spruced up a bit and put out as collections. We’ve had or are expecting God of War, Sly, Tomb Raider, Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell as well as the Ico games. We’d love to see GTA III Trilogy or a Jak and Daxter collection too. Everyone is clamouring for Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy VII. We like them. It’s nice to have the option to replay some old favourites and it’s nice to have the opportunity for new players to enjoy them. But we don’t want them to take over.
Apparently, PSM3 has spoken about a rumour that Sony might have a big announcement up its sleeve for E3. That’s nice but we’d like Sony’s big E3 announcements to be about new games, blockbusters and massive franchise continuations. As much as we like an HD remake, it’s not something we’d like to see replace the traditional big news from a show like E3.
Sony have already spoken about their willingness to do more and the trend spreading to Ubisoft and Eidos (Square Enix now) is demonstrative of the popularity that HD rereleases have. It would be a shame if that distracted companies into thinking they can put big new releases on the back burner.
Sony have started this year strongly but with a less impressive back end to the year and virtually nothing hinted at for next year yet, will the recent buzz around these HD collections mean that those are all we’re given? We hope not but when the pre-E3 rumour mill starts firing up with rehashes of older games, we start to worry a little bit about the future for brand new games.
PriceKitty
First of all, “IS* Sony running out of ideas.”
Second, No.
quinkill
“Are Sony Running Out of Ideas?”
No…(sigh)…yet another sensationalist headline on TSA!
Colinbarr66
I can see your problem with the headline and perhaps it could have been worded differently or the subject broadened beyond Sony. However the way I view this post is that it is a blog, its categorized under that for a reason, in which Peter posed a question in the headline before then going on to discuss the issue in the main text with the intention of provoking some discussion in the comment section, which it has.
The Anonymous post you also complained about in a previous comment managed to gain 95 comments talking about the topic, therefore wasn’t that post successful? Peter is obviously trying to involve the community by presenting these issues that could potentially create an interesting discussion. To me that is what TSA should be aiming to and is currently doing, involving the readers wherever they can and maintaining the high quality content they currently put out.
quinkill
I, like others who have shared similar concerns over the tag lines and content of recent articles on the TSA share a view that the high-quility content that is usually put out by the TSA is starting to wayne. I agree that this was a blog-post and have not said otherwise but the fact that certain key factors (Such as NGP, the future of HOME and the potential for Move) are completely missing from the article tell me that the ‘quality’ you talk of is nowhere to be seen.
In relation to the Anonymous articles, If 95 comments is a measure of success of any particular article then fine it was successful. From what I read though I seem to remember that many people where making rash comments how they should be killed, caught or stopped. If that’s the kind of rhetoric that TSA want or if that’s amount of hits TSA needs then fine it’s a success.
Colinbarr66
I’m sorry but I don’t see the quality of posts on TSA dropping recently, and I’ve been reading the site for a long time. I’m not disputing the fact that there was several points missed out in the post that could have been included to give a complete overview of Sony’s current situation and what’s to come for the remainder of this year, but the focus of the article is on HD remakes potentially replacing new titles. Reading the post I feel that it presented that particular issue well and gave readers the base to discuss in the comments.
I only put forward the 95 comments figure to show that it generated discussion around the topic. Were some of them “rash comments”? Yes, but I sincerely doubt that TSA aimed or wanted to generate those and not ones that were well informed and helped further the discussion.
The Lone Steven
IMO, i think sony are not running out of ideas, but they know that HD remakes are a easy way of making profits and it can please their customers. I would kill for a FF remake any one as i have only played 7,8,9 and 13. I find that HD remakes of games can be good if the gamer didn’t get a chance to play the original and only just became interested in it. The ICO collection is one i am interested in as i didn’t care about the original. But if Sony annouce nothing but HD collections, then yes they have run out of ideas.
fattyuk
sorry but this is without a doubt the worst article I’ve red on this site! it’s something you would expect to read on an xbox fanboy site.
Are they running out of ideas….. He’ll no!!!
I for one am really impressed by the HD remakes, there value for money and when I do purchase some it will be the first time I’ve ever played god of war, splinter cell and tomb raider! Looking forward to the
Ico one aswell, Just need GTA,MGS and hit man!
PSN_KAP
When i clicked on *source* from n4g i honestly thought i’d be carried to a no-name site just fetching for hits, i was gobsmacked to be here.
Lol… WOW TSA… this is rich isnt it?
Look at what the other two are doing this year, let alone next and ask yourself this dumbass question again?
lol sorry but this is the sadest article ive ever seen(and amazingly ironic), and the fact its here im still el oh elling right now.
So many games coming this year not even including the HD remakes compared to MS and Nintendo, it’ll be murder on all our wallets in terms of getting all the amazing titles by now and end of year that when 2012 does come it’ll be nice to give our bank balance a rest. God willing.
bunimomike
As defensive as some people are getting, it’s strange to see such vitriolic comments with Peter simply presenting a fair question. I think, also, Peter has probably now appreciated that nearly no-one agrees. That doesn’t mean we should tear anyone a new poop-chute but, in a way, Peter (or any staff member in the media) is privvy to a different side of the industry we know and love when compared to the average consumer. Peter may well see things in a different light and it prompts questions that we find a little jarring or weird. Then again, he might’ve been bored and wanted some shameless hits but I’m going for the former.
My real answer to the question posed is that we might see Sony run out of a little steam with PS3 titles but only because a certain degree of momentum simply can’t be maintained to such a strict level of consistency. However, hand on heart, I believe Sony (and other developers) are doing just fine. :-)
Kronik76
I disagree that it’s a fair question, it’s a bit of a dumb question to be honest! It’s like asking ‘Are cows running out of milk?’.
bunimomike
That’s okay, fella. As long as we have a place to debate things and air our opinions (even if yours and mine differs) then that’s what it’s all about. In a semi-decent manner for us to chew the fat over.
Kronik76
Well we can both agree on that! :-)
aerobes
Highly unlikely I would’ve thought but the way the other companies are operating, I can understand why you ask.
I think the entire gaming world needs another Ocarina of Time or something. A game to shake to shake everything up.
fattyuk
actually yes Sony are running out of ideas with all there exclusive franchises, move, 3D games and exclusive PSN games
Deathbrin
Is Twisted Metal still alive? Or was that not supposed to come out in ’11?
thedriffter50
If they just bring back PS2 backwards compatibility in any way, shape or form we wouldn’t need these HD remakes.
Even Mircrosoft had 360 BC with original Xbox games.
I’m dying to replay Resi 4, MGS3 and San Andreas again.